1. Jiang Technique: Choose one technique that Jiang used in her essay. Was it effective? Why or why not?
  2. Double Entry Journal: Pick one quote from each of the two readings you did for homework. Try to choose something that reminds you of an experience you have had. Your experience does not have to be exactly the same as the author’s–just be sure to pick one reading that you relate to in some way. Mark it in your text. Create a “double-entry journal” by writing both quotes in the left column. Then in the right column, explain why it reminds you of your own learning experience (whether that experience was in an actual school setting or elsewhere).
  3. Freewriting (5 minutes each)Write about all of the times you can think of that changed how you approached the learning process or shifted how you felt about education
    • Write about your chosen major or career goals and all the valuable moments that shaped your interest in your chosen field 
    • Write about all of the moments when you “woke up” in some way and changed a central belief, value, or idea that your felt certain about for a long time
    • Choose your favorite brainstorming strategy and write for 5 minutes about the experiences you mentioned in your double entry journal. Include as many details as possible.
  4. Descriptive paragraph: Choose one location from your story and write a paragraph describing it in detail (try to use all 5 senses and at least one simile or metaphor)
  5. Narrative Arc: Write out the parts of your story onto the narrative arc:
    • Exposition/Inciting Incident (who, what, when, where  and how does your story begin?)
    • Rising Action (you should include a lot of the story details here)
    • Climax (the moment of most drama and significance)
    • Falling Action (what happened after?)
    • Resolution (what was the result of this experience? What is the significance?)
  6. Significance
    • What is the meaning/significance of your story? Why should people read it? Write this out in one sentence.
    • Remember the core value you wrote about? Can you incorporate one of your core values into this story? 
  7. Dominant Impression
    • What do you want the atmosphere/vibe of your story to be? 
    • If your story had weather, what would the weather be like? 
    • If your story had a soundtrack, what would it be?
    • In one word, how do you want people to feel when they are done reading your story?Â